PONIES
PONIES
Now Showing

PONIES

6.7
Yr 2026
Status Canceled
Your Verdict
Unrated

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Series Brief

Overview

In 1977 Moscow, two "PONIES" ("persons of no interest") become CIA operatives and uncover a Cold War conspiracy their husbands were killed for.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 80 /100

Ponies received largely enthusiastic reviews from television critics, who praised its refreshing, female-centered twist on classic Cold War espionage tropes. Reviewers highlighted the dynamic chemistry between lead stars Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson, celebrating the series for pairing 1970s aesthetic style with emotional depth, humor, and a spirited buddy-caper energy that avoids leaning too heavily into grim or bleak genre conventions.

While most commentators found the narrative brisk, addictive, and delightfully escapist, a few dissenting voices were less impressed by its tonal mix. Some felt the series strained to balance tragedy with lighthearted caper elements, resulting in a show that was watchable but ultimately disposable. Nevertheless, the general consensus viewed it as an engaging, sharp, and thoroughly enjoyable spy thriller.

“weirdly joyful and bizarrely endearing espionage thriller cum female buddy caper set in 1970s Moscow”

“A compelling, female-driven buddy spy thriller that is enough to hold out hope for a second season.”

“Ponies tries hard, throwing everything it can at the wall in search of excitement and sweetness and humor and tragedy. But if it were to disappear from my queue tomorrow, I’m not sure I’d think to miss it.”

“a great show from soup to nuts, re-invigorating cold war cliches with fresh female characters”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Why fans love it

The 1970s Moscow setting provides a grounded, low-stakes aesthetic that sets this Cold War thriller apart from typical action-heavy spy stories. By positioning Emilia Clarke as an operative living under the radar, the show leans into the tedious reality of espionage. Intelligence work here is defined more by surveillance and quiet observation than high-speed chases.

The series avoids the usual bombast of the genre by focusing on the domestic environment. The conspiracy unfolding within the Soviet capital feels intimate rather than grand, anchored by the technical details of the era. The procedural elements remain focused on how individuals operate when they are treated as irrelevant by their own governments, making the survival of the main characters a matter of careful, everyday navigation.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 17
Longest run 8 eps
Show 67 more
Louis Boyer as Chris Grant 6 episodes John Macmillan as Tom Hasbeck 5 episodes Lili Walters as Ivanna 6 episodes Andrew Richardson as Shep 8 episodes Paul Chahidi as Alan Salek 5 episodes Patrick Fabian as George Bush 1 episode Peter Brooke as Rick 1 episode Jacob Channell as Marine 1 episode Fred Faber as Sergei 1 episode Panna Fehér as Lili 5 episodes Attila Halász as Drunken Diplomat 1 episode Fatime Halmos as Russian Merchant 1 episode Sabrina Jàvor as Amanda 3 episodes Kasi Béla as Bartender 1 episode Joshua McGuire as Phil 1 episode Katalin Lábán as Older Woman 1 episode Gábor Pintér as Greasy Man 1 episode Lorena Santana-Somogyi as Meg 3 episodes Christine Grace Szarkó as Gretchen Salek 4 episodes Igor Szasz as Older Man 1 episode Tamás Varga as Singing Drunk Man 1 episode Tanya Ivanova as Vera 2 episodes Pál Mácsai as Emile 6 episodes Tom Stourton as George Tallman 2 episodes Ana Neborac as Tatiana 3 episodes Attila Ferencz as Boris 2 episodes Franciska Törőcsik as Sveta 2 episodes Ekaterina Tuchina as Hostess 1 episode Sophia Shkliaruk as Galyna 2 episodes Csaba Gieler as German Doctor 1 episode Nóra Trokán as Maria 2 episodes Clare Hughes as Eevi 5 episodes Zoltán Karácsonyi as Pavel the Butcher 1 episode István Koleszár as Brute 1 episode Maxim Gál as Trent 3 episodes Natasa Nagy as Secretary 1 episode Tibor Szauerwein as Tall Man 1 episode Diana Gardner as Aksana 2 episodes Nikita Kukushkin as Yuri 3 episodes Eddie Toll as Mikhail 1 episode Péter Harna as Russian Prisoner 1 episode Zoltán Hetényi as Fake Caterpillar 1 episode Toma Hrisztov as Young KGB Agent 1 episode Péter Janicsek as KGB Agent Daniil 1 episode Kevin Ezekiel Ogunleye as US Marine 1 episode Rob Delaney as Stansfield Turner 1 episode Ágnes Bartos as Yulia 1 episode Eric Geynes as Pierre 1 episode László Hajdú as Waiter 1 episode Szilárd Hajós as Hotel Clerk 1 episode András Komornik as Guard 1 episode Gábor Maday as KGB 1 1 episode Gábor Matus as KGB Officer 1 episode János Timkó as Exhausted KGB Agent 1 episode Philipp Avdeev as Lev 1 episode Ivan Doan as Nikolai 1 episode Sofia Kyrychenko as Katya 1 episode Fabien Enjalric as Officer Petrov 1 episode Roderick Hill as Dr. Kohl 1 episode Zsuzsanna Holl as Baba Arina 1 episode Joe T. Horn as KGB Officer 1 episode Zsolt Kormendy as Embassy Employee 1 episode Mészáros Piroska as Gerta 1 episode Daria Rachkovskaya as Maid 1 episode Celina Schleicher as Nurse 1 episode Iliasz Shweirif as Handsome German Man 1 episode András Sütö as German Officer 1 episode
Signal Match

Similarity

Where PONIES overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

1970s soviet union conspiracy moscow, russia spy thriller cia agent casual
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
January 15, 2026
Status
Canceled
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
110